2025 International Ocean Safety Awards

by Barry Pickthall for IACH 24 Nov 09:11 GMT

2025 International Ocean Safety Awards © International Association of Cape Horners

The Lydd-based Coastguard rescue helicopter team and crew of the RNLI Newhaven lifeboat are the worthy recipients of this year's International Ocean Safety Award for the hazardous joint operation to rescue an injured sailor stranded aboard his yacht as it broke up on rocks during a storm off Newhaven Harbour UK on 4th June 2024.

The Award, sponsored by Ocean Safety Ltd was presented by the International Association of Cape Horners at their annual lunch at the Royal Marine Hotel, Portsmouth on Saturday 22nd November.

The Lydd based Coastguard Rescue helicopter team and crew of the RNLI Newhaven lifeboat crew are the worthy recipients of this year's International Ocean Safety Award for the hazardous joint operation to rescue an injured sailor stranded aboard his yacht as it broke up on rocks during a storm off Newhaven Harbour UK on 4th June 2024

Alistair Hackett, Managing Director of Ocean Safety Ltd based in Southampton said at the Awards ceremony, "This was one of the most remarkable rescues I've ever witnessed, testing the co-ordination and professionalism between the NCI volunteer watchkeepers who first spotted the distressed yacht, the RNLI Newhaven lifeboat crew led by Coxswain Lewis Arnold and the Lydd-based R163 Bristow/Coastguard helicopter rescue team piloted by Chris Trubshaw.

The lifeboat was operating in very shallow surf and the Bristow rescue helicopter, which was short on fuel and at the limit of its range, had just minutes to pluck the injured sailor from the yacht as it broke up on the rocks beneath the harbour wall. Winchman Chris Purkiss not only had to brave crashing surf as the yacht broke up but physically hold the injured sailor as the two were winched clear of the wreckage.

This year's international award is thoroughly deserved by all those involved."

2025 International Ocean Safety Awards - photo © Steve Walker / IACH

2025 International Ocean Safety Award - Portsmouth UK Alistair Hackett, Managing Director of Ocean Safety Ltd based in Southampton presents the 2025 International Ocean Safety Awards to Matthew Leat Assistant Chief Coastguard, representing the crew of he Lydd-based Coastguard rescue helicopter, and crew of the RNLI Newhaven lifeboat, worthy recipients of this year's International Ocean Safety Award for the hazardous joint operation to rescue an injured sailor stranded aboard his yacht as it broke up on rocks during a storm off Newhaven Harbour UK on 4th June 2024

Matt Leat, Assistant Chief Coastguard, who represented the helicopter crew at the awards, added: "This rescue emphasises the teamwork between three organisations working hand in hand to save someone's life that they had never met before. This is what is so great about the maritime community. When someone is in difficulties, they do everything they can to rescue them."

2025 International Ocean Safety Awards - photo © Steve Walker / IACH

Lewis Arnold, coxswain of the RNLI Newhaven lifeboat said: "This started as a routine day. We thought we had been called out simply to check on someone anchored off the harbour. But the tide changed and the wind picked up. When we reached the end of the breakwater (protecting the entrance to Newhaven Harbour) the lifeboat was knocked right over, and I thought 'Oh my God - this is a bit more than I thought.

My plan was to keep the lifeboat crew safe and try to get the guy off his boat. Normally, it takes time to get other rescue assets together, but luckily the rescue helicopter was already in the air on a training mission and still had sufficient fuel to join us.

For the first 15 minutes, the man didn't want to get off. He was a live-aboard, the boat was all he had, and he was down below getting all his personal effects together.

When his anchor line snapped, and the yacht was being swept towards the rocks, we had no more than 1metre under our boat. If the helicopter had not joined the rescue at that time, it would have been game over for the chap.

It was all down to teamwork: The NCI volunteers calling in the situation early; the shoreside rescue team and ambulance crew, the helicopter and the lifeboat, we managed to save this chap's life while keeping all of us safe."

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, President of the Cape Horners Association said "This safety award is now part of a fresh initiative that we Cape Horners are taking to instigate research and promotion of all aspects of safety at sea, and I applaud the level of coordination and professionalism shown by the Coastguard and RNLI crews. For the solo sailor concerned, this was a miraculous rescue operation."

The R163 Bristow/Coastguard helicopter rescue team: